HEALTHCARE
Clean bill of health
Demand for cleaning services in healthcare facilities has skyrocketed during COVID-19, forcing cleaning operators to be at the top of their game as they pursue ever-higher hygiene standards and take advantage of the latest technology. Words Cameron Cooper
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ames Pollock is justifiably delighted with the role his business’s cleaners have played in eliminating the coronavirus at an aged care facility. The CEO of ServiceFM, a national facility services specialist, recalls how the cleaners performed their duties in a Victorian centre, which had recorded 77 cases of COVID-19. “After three weeks we were down to zero cases,” Pollock says. “So, we’re quite proud of that result, and after that the Victorian Government was referring us to sites where they had an issue with the coronavirus.” He is also happy that during the cleaning process no employees contracted COVID-19. “At the forefront of our methodology has been a commitment to protect our staff and use our proven cleaning processes.” Pollock says the fact ServiceFM had done its homework about cleaning products and processes prior to COVID-19 has paid off. “We were very confident in ourselves that we knew what we had to do and what products we had to use.”
IN THE FRONT LINE ServiceFM is one of a cohort of participants in the cleaning industry that have been put to the test in healthcare environments in the past year. From hospitals and medical clinics to aged care centres and beyond, the pressure has been on cleaners to help protect patients and people from infection during a tumultuous public health crisis. 34 INCLEAN May / June 2021
Diversey Australia Healthcare Sector Lead David Purnell says there has been a considerable sense of pride among the cleaning community about the important pandemic task its workers have performed. “They have a huge amount of pride in the role they do. It’s a critical role,” Purnell says. Nevertheless, some cleaners on the front line in hospitals and healthcare centres feel “a little bit forgotten”. “The frontline care staff have got all the kudos,” says Purnell, noting that cleaners have to put their health on the line, wear personal protective equipment and risk exposure to harsh chemicals. Diversey’s range of cleaning, sanitation and maintenance products, systems and services have been in high demand as a result of the coronavirus. In the early phase of the pandemic, the company was selling in just one day a volume of disinfectant wipes that would normally be sold in months. “It was madness,” Purnell says. Now that the market has settled down somewhat, Diversey’s focus is on assisting customers with cleaning processes and standards, including releasing a cleaning guide for healthcare operators.
COUNTRY PRACTICE While country areas across Australia have had fewer cases of infection from COVID-19 than the big cities, the team at Town & Country Cleaning in Dalby has been playing its part to keep locals safe in the Darling Downs region of Queensland.